A Book Review Blog dedicated to the love of reading between two friends.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

REVIEW + EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY: Built by Jay Crownover

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Review/Excerpt Tour for BUILT by Jay Crownover! BUILT is a Contemporary Romance novel being published by HarperCollins, and it is the 1st full-length novel in The Saints of Denver Series, a spinoff of her New York Times bestselling Marked Men Series. This amazing book releases on January 5th!

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men books comes an electrifying new spin-off series,Saints of Denver, featuring all the characters fans have been dying to read about.

Sayer Cole and Zeb Fuller couldn’t be more different. She’s country club and fine-dining, he’s cell-block and sawdust. Sayer spends her days in litigation, while Zeb spends his working with his hands. She’s French silk, he’s all denim and flannel.
Zeb’s wanted the stunning blonde since the moment he laid eyes on her. It doesn't matter how many smooth moves he makes, the reserved lawyer seems determinedly oblivious to his interest—either that or she doesn't return it. Sayer is certain the rough, hard, hot-as-hell Zeb could never want someone as closed off and restrained as she is, which is a shame because something tells her he might be the guy to finally melt her icy exterior.
But just as things start to heat up, Zeb is blindsided by a life altering moment from his past. He needs Sayer’s professional help to right a wrong and to save more than himself. He can’t risk what’s at stake just because his attraction to Sayer feels all consuming. But as these opposites dig in for the fight of their lives, battling together to save a family, the steam created when fire and ice collide can no longer be ignored.

OUR REVIEW:

Shel: You may know Jay Crownover from her Marked Men series or her Welcome to the Point series. In this new series, Saints of Denver, we get a blend of seeing the characters from Marked Men in the background plus getting to know brand new characters. Court: Which is great, because we were sad to leave those other peeps behind. So, having a few (even though I haven't read Rowdy yet..boo me) familiar faces was pleasing to me. Shel: As this is the first full length novel in the series, I'm very curious as to what the 'tone' of it will be. Is Built emblematic of the rest? If so, then you can expect the steaminess of the other two series + more character driven (less big action sequences or major angst) + very satisfactory and fleshed out endings. Court: I hope that is true, as I really was expecting the angsty beginnings that was all things Rule (that boy was a mess, wasn't he). Zeb was quite a surprise, as was his story and I was not disappointed by the way he approached his past one single bit. Sayer realllllly had some work cut out for her in that department, but once part of Jay's constant appeal and why we want to read her every book is that she gives us heroines who aren't the one in the relationship who has it all together and that to me is realistic and what I want to read about....a girl just like me just trying to figure it all out and have fun with her guy while doing it.

Shel: In Built equal attention was given to Sayer and Zeb and their internal workings. I got to know them, not so much from their interactions in public or with lots of other characters, but from their ruminations on what was going on in their lives and what they wanted to happen (or not) with their love interest. I'll start with Sayer and say that she was infuriating and impossible and when I wasn't trying to figure her out (I'm still not sure I have) and fuss at her for being so damn stubborn, I really did like her. Her heart was in the right place for everyone ...except herself. She was so insistent that she would be the ruination of others that she consistently iced herself out of anything that felt remotely good. I wanted to shake her and hug her all at the same time. Zeb was ...well...not perfect but pretty darn close. He did so many of the 'right' things. He took responsibility for his actions, he was trying to better himself and others, he didn't give up on Sayer, when many people probably would, and he continued to try to show her all of the good that life had to offer. I liked Zeb a lot--he seemed so warm and caring and like someone you'd want on your side. Court: He did the wrong things for the right reasons...(using a line from Dr. Doom there) and owned up to them without fuss. He kept right on doing it when life comes to try to knock him down again, and it opened up a new part of Zeb that was enjoyable, and a new aspect that I wasn't expecting. Sayer on the other hand starts out as quite an ice queen and it was hard to like her during that time when she was being soooo stubborn.

Shel: Sayer and Zeb's story wouldn't be complete without Hyde. I thought Jay Crownover did a really great job of capturing a five year old's dialogue and thoughts. As a parent to a six year old, Hyde's character felt pretty accurate; I mention this because sometimes this isn't always the case but this novel nailed it. I enjoyed how Crownover made Hyde a major component of the story of Zeb + Sayer and all of the aspects that pertained to that storyline felt 'right'. I also liked how the secondary characters were included as well--Zeb and Sayer's families and friends fit into their narrative in a way that enhanced their story rather than distract from it. Court: Hyde...just in that name (as Jay always nails the names, so hard) was great. His story hopefully brings hope to the entire journey that Zeb, Sayer and Hyde are on, and I was honestly surprised how this one went. External factors on Zeb's part to the other side of the coin on Sayer's really brought the story together, and gave just enough push and pull forces to keep the plot moving, and the sexual tension almost killed me...but oh how sweet the will-they-or-won't-they turned out to be. This book is a solid start to a new series by one of our favorites, so I can't wait for y'all to check it out too.

Shel: The next book in this series looks like there are going to be some explosive scenes and I honestly cannot wait to read it. Court: Indeed. I can't wait to find out what comes next!

AN EXCERPT:

As though my intense and swirling thoughts had pulled Zeb
into the vortex of self-pity I was struggling in, my phone vibrated in my hand
with a message from him as I wandered aimlessly through the empty rooms.

I
shivered at the sight of his name and then silently scolded myself for having
such a powerful reaction to only his name on the screen. His message was simple
but for some reason it felt full of more meaning and emotion than the three
words staring up at me indicated.

Can you talk?

I bit my lip and decided how
to answer. I didn’t talk to my clients after office hours were done for the day
and I was already having a really hard time keeping the professional and
personal lines clear where he and this case were concerned. I sighed and tapped
out:

I can. Do you want me to call you?

I had
started this process as his friend first and it wasn’t fair to him that my
heart was pulling itself apart because of his situation. He was probably
nervous and scared about what was coming next week, and I was the only one who
could put some of that at ease.

There
wasn’t a response for a long couple of minutes and I hated that all I could do
was stare at my phone and pace back and forth while I waited to see what he was
going to say. I was acting like a teenager and it was ridiculous. I snorted at
myself and was headed into the kitchen to pour myself a glass of wine when the
phone rang and made me jump. I wasn’t prepared for him to call me right that
moment and had a bout of anxiety about answering the call before I told myself
to man up and swiped my finger across the screen.

“Hey.
Everything all right?” I heard a car honk its horn wherever he was calling
from, and he mumbled something that wasn’t directed at me before answering.

“Fuck
no.”

And don’t miss the previous novella in The Saints of Denver Series!

Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men and The Point series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

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